I try to live like a Christian, but as people we sin every day. How can I go on to become a better Christian?

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First of all, I am very encouraged by your desire to live a life to please the Lord. The very desire to please the Lord comes from the Lord, Himself, as we read in Philippians 2:13 which says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” I am thankful that the Lord is working in your heart to do of His good pleasure. His desire is to have you close to Him, walking in His truths, and living a life that honors Him while benefitting others.

Let’s start by looking at the importance of knowing God’s Word so that you might do God’s will. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” We see the value of the scriptures in the lives of believers. It’s been said of this portion that doctrine tells us what is right; reproof tells us what is not right; correction tells us how to get right; and instruction tells us how to stay right. We absolutely need the Word of God to do the work in our hearts to produce these essential results. It is the Word that equips us so that we are able to do good works. I just cannot over-emphasize the importance of studying your Bible daily. We cannot know God’s mind without studying God’s Word. As King David said in Psalms 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

In learning God’s Word, our desire should be as the psalmist when he wrote in Psalms 86:11, “Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.” When the Lord teaches us, He expects us to walk, or live, in the truth that He gives us. Do you want to bring joy to the heart of God? 3 John 1:4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” That which brings the Lord the greatest joy is to see us living out the truths that He has taught us through His word.

The Christian life is a continuing journey. Each day should serve to bring us more into obedience to the Lord and more into conformity to the Lord Jesus. As Christians we are ambassadors as we read in 2 Corinthians 5:20 which tells us, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ…” An ambassador is really a representative of his country in a foreign land. Christians are left here to represent Christ in the world. Philippians 3:20 tells us that, “…our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” So, now we are foreigners left here to tell others about our savior and our true home, which is Heaven. We want to be responsible ambassadors, so we must stay in contact with our Lord so that we might do His will and represent Him.

In the Lord’s intercessory prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed in John 17:15-16, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” For the believer who desires to be an effective servant of the Lord, we must realize that we are no longer of this world, but are left here in the world to tell others of the free gift of grace that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord’s prayer was that the Father would keep us from the evil that is in the world. Romans 12:1-2 exhorts us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” We are not of this world so we should not try to be like this world. We should give ourselves wholly to the Lord so that He can use us to honor Himself.

Another important piece of this puzzle of living a life that pleases the Lord is to understand how much the Lord deserves and loves the worship of His people. Hebrews 13:15-16 tells us, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” God is well pleased with the heartfelt worship of the saints of God.

These are just a few things to help you on your path to being a better Christian. As you learn more of the Lord through His Word, you will learn more about how to please Him. When we please Him, we will be effective servants of the Lord.